Speechless: Part VII
by bowtruckle90
Summary: The final installment of the story of Harry Potter and Fabiana Prewett. R&R. Rated M for Mature themes and adult situations.
1. Chapter 1

Ana was crying and huddled in a corner of the deserted Great Hall, which stood in shambles. She was cold. The jeans and undergarments she had been wearing when he found her alone in the hall were only feet away, but Ana was unwilling to move; unwilling to untangle herself and let herself be exposed. There was blood smeared along her thighs, and though she could not bear to look Ana was sure the delicate skin between her legs was red and swollen. The area was throbbing painfully.

As much as her legs were hiding her personal space below, her arms did the same above. Her tank top was in shreds and hanging about her boson with gaping holes. Ana was too afraid of the possibilities to look down and asses if the assailant had not only torn through cotton clothing, but through flesh as well. So instead she stared at nothing. The broken glass columns that held the gems used for counting house points had shattered and so the flagstones on the floor were glittering with rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and citrines.

A shadow passed over her. Ana looked up and he was there. Her abuser reached for her and before she could make a sound there was black and her dreaming self dissolved and the waking self woke up.

Well, she was cold, as a matter of fact. Ana pulled the holey blanket closer and attempted to keep herself warm and calm after her latest nightmare. True, it was not how she came to be in Greyback's possession. But it was close. When she had seen the Dark Mark outside the window of the astronomy tower, where she had gone to watch for Harry's return from his outing with Dumbledore, she had raced to the roof to get a closer look. Once she did, she saw Bill lying on his back and bloody while Greyback stood over him, teeth bared. He was not transformed, but it seemed the werewolf had taken a liking to biting wither it was the full moon or not.

Ana had been too terrified to try and help. Greyback turned his head and smiled, blood staining his teeth pink and dripping down his jaw. She turned and ran, hearing his boots fall behind her on the stones. Once inside Ana had enough time in her panic to jinx the door shut. She then continued running. It was hard work trying to think of the best way to evade him. As a matter of fact she was unsure he was even pursuing her still. But after the stories she was told by Remus, all bets were off in her opinion. And so she raced through one classroom and back into the hall and into another door and out the other, weaving her scent through the school and making the trail last longer than she thought Greyback would feel compelled to follow.

Finally she reached the Great Hall. It was the end of the line. So she turned and watch the door, all the while backing up toward the teachers' table. It was a long procession down the aisle between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables. But he wasn't coming. Seconds went by. Minutes even. But still no one was coming. Just when Ana thought she could begin to relax she bumped into something. Startled Ana gasped and spun herself around. Before she could raise her wand there was a pair of strong arms encircling her and keeping her from moving, pinning her arms to her ribcage. Moments later the rest of the Death Eaters, Malfoy in tow, appeared and Greyback made sure to drag Ana at wandpoint along with them.

And they had apparated to this place. As far as Ana could tell they were somewhere in the mountains, but which ones, she couldn't say. For all she knew she could be somewhere in England or Wales…or anywhere in the world. The series of caves she found herself in were furnished in a nomadic fashion: there were nests of blankets and pillows in small groups in every cave and close by to each of those were several chests and trunks containing Merlin only knew what (though if Ana had to guess it would be what was left of these souls' worldly possessions). The linens all seemed to be well worn, even raggedy in some cases. And it seemed that no one who slept among them had clothes faring any better. Ana had only had moments to glimpse at the bodies lying among the aged and faded bedding, and even then only the ones close to the entrances where the moonlight could reach. It seemed to her that she had not seen a single woman.

Greybakc had led her to a cave on the innermost end, as close to the center of the mountain you could get. Inside there were only two nests in the small and clustered space. His own trunk, made of leather and held together with thick buckled straps, sat at the very back of the space. It was padlocked. He shoved her toward the smaller cluster of blankets and tossed aside the wand he had been keeping at her back. Ana knew running was not an option. She would never make it out alive. Greyback came closer, knelt beside her, and Ana recoiled slightly, but he reached beyond her for the time being and fumbled around the various quilts and duvets. What Ana heard next sent her into a state of shocked panic.

There was a clinking of metal against metal and when Greyback's hand emerged there was a chain. At the end of it was a large iron circlet. Ana could not move, she could barely breathe. "Stay still and let me do this, and I promise I will try very hard not to hurt you."

Greyback spoke as though this was not the first time he had chained a girl up in what was apparently his bedroom. Like it was part of a routine. But knowing what she had seen of Bill that night, Ana thought it was best to obey. And so she listened as he talked and locked the old iron collar around her neck.

"This is my home. Do as I say and you will find it reasonably comfortable to be here. Don't, and I will make you wish you hadn't been born. You're not my first queen, but I have high hopes you will be my last. Don't disappoint me."

Ana listened intently. When Greyback was finished and sat back on his heels to store his keys in a pocket of his moth eaten coat. He had no answered one of her questions. While Ana had her suspicions, she had to know. So she stuck her finger in the dirt floor and drew her question in the sand: 'What is this place?'

Greyback smiled, showing his yellow teeth. "This is the home of my pack, my followers. My disciples. There are my most loyal friends and subjects. And you my dear are going to be their queen, as you have been brought here to by my new mate."

Ana drew another question. 'Will you turn me?'

"No," Greyback answered. "Normally I would, but you…you are something quite special to me. perhaps sometime I will tell you why. For now, I want you to remain still."

He crawled over her and rested his body on top of her. Caught between obedience and terror as this hairy, dirty man fumbled with something for a moment before using his knees to nudge her own legs apart and rest his hips between her thighs before slamming forward into her. He jammed his member inside her, causing a great amount of pain. Her eyes watered and tears streamed down her cheeks as Greyback held her wrists down. She counted the thrusts. One. Two. Three…she reached five and suddenly it was over. Greyback rolled himself off of Ana and staggered to his side of the room to collapse among his pillows.

So here she was, freezing in a cave with her kidnapper snoring in perfect slumber while Ana suffered nightmare after nightmare, always waking to find she is still in this hellhole she had been in before, knowing that the awful thing she had endured had indeed happened. As sure as she would have another nightmare, she would feel herself crying moments after waking. And she would continue to cry until a fitful sleep would take over once more and allow her to revisit another horrible scene comprised of the events of the evening.


	2. Chapter 2

As Ana had suspected upon arrival, there were no other women in the pack. The other wolves following Greyback were men. Occasionally they might bring a woman to the caves, but she was usually a muggle and was either released in a magically enhanced daxe afterwards to wanted the forest or else was never seen again, though the wolf who brought her might have acquired something looking dangerously akin to a tooth or small bone.

Ana spent most of her days alone in Greyback's den, chained to the wall and guarded by only a single wolf of the dozen to maybe twenty that resided in the caves. Normally it was a rotation of only a few wolves who kept watch over her, so she got to know them pretty well. Michael was in his forties and had been a herbologist for a private research facility when he was bitten a decade before. He had enough money to cover his cost of living for a time but once he needed to find work again not only did his company shun him, but so did friends, and anyone who might have offered him any kind of job. Even manual labor. Eventually he gave up and opted to take what was left of his belongings out here to live in Greyback's little private society.

Then there was Oscar. He was older than Michael; maybe close to sixty. Like Michael he was no longer able to find work so he had joined the pack. Unlike Michael, he also condoned what Greyback was doing. All that aside though, he was a nice enough man, if one for very few words.

Ana's favorite was Peter. He was young, twenty or so, and so they had plenty to talk about. His story was the saddest she had heard. His parents were both home schooled in their youth so they were naïve to new developments in the world. When he was bitten only two years before he was cast out of his home and having little skill to base a career on (which if he had not been bitten would have been a bright one in the field of studying ancient numerology), no one would have hired him to do much. Like so many other men in the pack he had come to escape persecution and in hopes of being surrounded by those like himself. What he hadn't counted on was the personal agenda that became so painfully clear once he arrived. And once he had, there was no getting out.

One afternoon when the others were gone and everything was quiet, Peter was talking with Ana. "I don't care about the blood races. No one knows as much as they think they do about their purity anymore. What I want is equality."

Ana nodded and drew a response in the sand in front of her feet, crossed under her knees as she sat Indian style on the ground near the den's entrance. 'And the werewolf superiority idea?'

"Stupid. Who cares if we're tops? As far as I've read, lycanthropy is more like a disease or a condition than a state of being. Who wants to hand over the world to that? No I think the whole thing is a terrible idea. I just want to be able to hold down a job, have a family, have a life…without discrimination."

Ana was miserable in the pack, but not as much as she thought she would be. Greyback, for all his misgivings, made certain to feed her well, let her have enough chain to walk about the den freely and even managed conversation occasionally. What really got to Ana was the abuse. At night, sometimes as many as three times before he was tired, he would take her. It was like her purpose in life was to be his personal whore. Although she had no reason to be able to compare, Ana figured she was the most well treated whore in the country. Things could definitely worse, but that prompted the question: why weren't they?


	3. Chapter 3

It was a dark evening, void of a moon, thank goodness. But something was different that night. Ana was sleeping in Greyback's den when someone was shaking her awake. When she came to and opened her eyes, she saw Remus standing over her.

"Ana are you all right?"

She sat herself up and rubbed her eyes and leaned over toward the bare floor to draw her response. 'I thought you were living with these cretins. I've been here a whole month.'

Remus read and nodded. "Well, since you last saw me I married Tonks and ever since then it's been hard to make visits. Are you sure you're all right?" Ana nodded and Remus reached forward to move her hair aside and examine her neck and face. "Well you seem all right. Undernourished maybe, but reasonably fine." Remus sighed. "I wish I could get you out of here, but it's important I keep my profile with Greyback."

Ana sighed and her head drooped. There was a sting behind her eyes and before she could stop it a tear fell, and another. There was a hand beneath her chin lifting her face. Remus, with his free thumb, wiped her eyes, saying, "I'm so sorry Fabiana. I promise I will put out feelers for someone who can come here and get you, but it can't be me. If I had known, believe me, I would have found a way long ago."

There were footsteps approaching. Remus and Ana jumped apart. Ana laid herself back down facing the stone wall and pretended to sleep while Remus leaned against the opposing wall, arms folded. Ana listened as Greyback entered.

"She's a fine piece of ass, isn't she Dalton?"

"She sure is."

"Yeah, I've been having a grand old time with her. All coming to an end though."

"How so?"

"Well the boss says we'll be doing some special assignments for him soon. We'll have to abandon this place and live like nomads. I can't have that kind of baggage on me when we leave. Shame. She really is a nice piece."

"Shame indeed. When are you all off?"

"Whenever the boss says it's time. Could be tomorrow, could be next year. Who knows? Anyway, come on. I've got a choice steak with your name on it."

"No thanks Fenrir. New wife and everything, c'est la vie."

Ana could hear Greyback's hacking laugh as the men retreated. She thought she heard him say something about Remus getting soft, but she wasn't sure. Instead she just gathered her blankets around her and stared at the flecks of mica in the rock before her; stare and try to figure out what she was going to do about her impending death.


	4. Chapter 4

Greyback was not happy. In the four months since she had been there, Ana had never seen him as angry as he was this evening. He was pacing the den, swearing up a storm. The parchment in his hand was scrunched from being balled in his fist. "How the bloody hell am I supposed to attend some dinner party?! I've got my boys to look after here! They're all out doing something for me and I'm supposed to make an appearance?! Bollocks!"

He stopped pacing and turned to stare at Ana. "And then there's you. I must admit, I know my presence is probably partially to inform me of the next phase of the plans starting, but I am not quite ready to let you go. No…your flesh is far too sweet, too wonderfully familiar. If only there was somewhere else to store you."

An hour later Greyback was leading Ana on a chain into the Malfoy house. Though house was not the word she would have chosen. Mansion would have been a more precise term. But whatever the noun, the adjective was 'huge'.

The dining room was empty but set for what looked like what would be a fabulous party. And as Ana sat chained to the table leg near her captor's assigned chair, she listened to yet another conversation held about her and her future.

"I am loathe to take on another prisoner without the Dark Lord's permission, Greyback."

"I will reclaim her eventually," came the wolf's reply. "I just need a place to put her where she'll remain alive and my property until this whole ugly business of his is done. Until we've settled again, you know. Then she'll be off your hands. In the meantime do what you like with her. Use her as a curse cushion for all I care. Just don't kill her and if I find out anyone has violated my property I'll tear their throat out and eat his heart for breakfast. No moon necessary."

There was a long silence. Malfoy was thinking about it. He sniffed and then there were heavy footsteps stomping away. Greyback reentered the dining room and unchained Ana from the table leg. He then led her down a corridor and opened a door that revealed a dark room and a staircase leading down. "I hate to leave you like this, my sweet thing, but like I said, I'm not ready to let you go."

Ana tripped her way down the staircase until she reached the bottom. She could feel dirt. At least it was warmer than the caves. She set to work feeling the floor around her where she knelt, looking for something that could serve as a pick for the locked collar still around her neck.

"Who's there?"

Ana stopped cold. The voice had sounded old. She remembered hearing something in Malfoy and Greyback's conversation about others. Were these them?

"For goodness sake, Griphook," the same voice said. "Light a match. The poor thing could be hurt." An aggiated sigh reached Ana's ears before a golden light partially filled the large crawlspace type room. The source was from a long match held by a goblin; Griphook she assumed. The other voice belonged to someone she recognized. It was Mr. Ollivander, the wandmaker. This man, dirty and tired looking, crawled toward her and after taking a closer look looked over his shoulder. "It's all right Griphook, she's a friend." He looked back at Ana. "Are you hurt, Miss Prewett?"

Ana shook her head and pointed to the collar. Ollivander nodded. "I think we can do something about that. Griphook?"

The goblin waddled closer and handed the match to Ollivander who help it close to the clasp at the nape of her neck while Ana held her tangled hair aside. She was unsure of what Griphook did, but whatever it was it worked, because a moment later the iron clasp fell away and a huge weight was lifted off her neck. She turned and smiled at Ollivader while Griphook tossed the chains aside and handed the match back before retiring to a corner.

Ana reached up to her head to scratch and itch, but had a hard time withdrawing it again when he nail snagged in a knot. "Here," Ollivander said, holding the light toward her. "Hold this. I'll do what I can with your hair."

Ollivander had to ask Griphook to bring two more matches, but eventually he was able to wrestle her hair into a French braid. They were halfway through the third match when there were footsteps over their heads. Ollivander snuffed it out and tossed the remainder aside before the door could open.

The light spilling into the small space lit in silhouette of a pair of women's shoes descending the stairs. Once she reached the bottom she stood straight, and the face was another Ana happened to remember all too well.

Bellatrix smiled. "Ah, I love fresh meat." She stepped forward and crouched in front of Ana, looking her in the eye. "Particularly the kind that can divulge some information." She reached to grab Ana's chin and force the girl to meet her eye. "Where are your friends?"

With the small amount of control over her head she retained, Ana shook it slowly. Bellatrix was no longer smiling. She frowned, let go, and recoiled. Releasing her wind up she slapped Ana, hard. "Tell me! Where are they?!"

There was some light on the floor from the open door. Ana reached forward and drew her finger through the dirt. 'If I knew I wouldn't tell you.'

Ana received the Cruciatus curse that night. It would be the first time of nearly a hundred at the hands of that woman. But Ana didn't mind. Obviously she would rather not be there, rather not hurt, but she and Harry had been kidding themselves to think they could hide their connection after the incident at the Ministry over a year before. If they eventually thought she truly didn't know, they might think he had met some demise. No one would be any the wiser to the truth; not even Voldemort himself.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry was having trouble sleeping again. It wasn't really that the bed was uncomfortable. In fact he doubted he could be more comfortable when on the run thanks to Hermione, but no matter how perfect the mattress was, it would never be able to make up for the torture going on in his head.

So many important people had been lost so far. Some he knew about, most he didn't. None that hurt as bad as losing Ana. No one seemed to know exactly what happened to her or where she was but most figured she was probably still alive. Considering how Voldemort and others seemed to enjoy her presence in the past, not only was she likely still alive, but when they did decide it was time to off her they would make a spectacle of it. The problem was Harry was on the move, disconnected from the world. He only hoped their goal, if they did decide she was more trouble than she was worth, they would make sure Harry knew where she was and would plan on rescuing her. If he was in Voldemort's shoes, he'd be using her as bait for himself.

The nights were cold now. Harry gathered his quilt around him and nestled in, trying to remember what Ana's hair smelled like. The feel of her skin against his. What her lips tasted like the last time he had met them with his own.

For the moment, Harry was not entirely sure he wouldn't give up anything to get her back. His heart was aching for Ana to come back to him. If Voldemort was standing before him right now and offered Ana to him, what would the price be, Harry wondered. Would he ask for the locket back? All the information he knew about the remaining horcruxes? His life? Harry would give all of the above to keep Ana safe.


	6. Chapter 6

Ana had no idea what she was doing out of the dirt prison beneath the Malfoy mansion. Wormtail had come that afternoon and brought her out into the sunlight. Well, relative sunlight. At least she could see some streaming in through the windows. With the drapes still drawn it was difficult to say what time it could be, and the dark décor of the rooms she had walked through to reach the small and intimate drawing room cast an air of doom and gloom about the spaces.

Ana sat on one of the dust coated sofas, smoothing her braided locks and attempting to look as though her time in their dungeons had not been as hard as they would have liked, but as soon as her reflection caught her eye in the floor to ceiling mirror across from where Wormtail had seated her Ana knew there would be no sugar coating the past six months. Four were spent in the wild without much food or water and no chance to keep herself clean and orderly. The past two in a dark crawlspace beneath a house, small and being shared with two other prisoners. She hadn't seen her own face reflected back at her for some time. Her hair had dulled from malnourishment, much like the rest of her body. Veins showed stark blue against her paled skin from lack of sunlight and the dark circles beneath her eyes made her look as though perhaps she had suffered like a prisoner in Azkaban under the cruel nature of dementors.

While she continued to view her sickly appearance, Draco Malfoy was shown into the dust caked room by Wormtail, who proceeded to leave them alone. Draco charmed the door locked and strode across the worn wood floor to stand in front of Ana. From behind his back he produced a self-inking quill and a pad of parchment. After a moment he sighed, saying, "The Dark Lord is getting impatient with trying to find Potter on his own. Tell us where he's hiding and he's more than happy to let you go."

Ana did nothing. She didn't even want to look at him. So she stared ahead, meeting her own eyes which had grown dark in the months she had been kept hostage. But Draco was in no mood for games. He slammed his fist on the coffee table to draw her attention, which he gained. Ana started at the sharpness of the noise and watched as Draco sat himself on the table in front of her, his eyes perfectly in line with hers.

"We'll let you go wherever you want. London, even send you overseas if you want. We'll bring you back to Moscow. Fully armed." He dropped his voice and grabbed the pad beside him. He handed it to her. "One work is all it takes. Where would Potter go? Grimmauld Place?"

Ana had had quite enough of this herself. She held out her empty palm and Draco placed the quill in it with a sinister smile. Ana scratched the quill across the pad and handed the parchment back. The smile on Draco's face faded as he read her response.

'_Are you crazy?'_

"I'm not crazy. I…" Draco threw down the pad and stood back up. He started pacing the room. Eventually he himself faced the mirror and looked himself up and down. "I don't know…I don't know if I'm crazy anymore. I have everything I want. It's just…not how I thought it would be."

Ana hardly knew what to say to this. It was the first time she had ever heard Draco like this: soft, unsure. Maybe even a little scared. The boy continued talking.

"I don't know what's right anymore. Everything feels wrong lately. I torture some loser who screws up a plan and get this feeling in the pit of my stomach. It makes me want to be sick. And it's because of what I'm doing." He turned back around to look at Ana. "I don't know anything anymore. Right. Wrong. I don't even know about who I am or what I am. What I could be if I tried to just…think for myself."

Draco stood before her, arms crossed over his chest. "Look, I knew you weren't going to tell me. I just…wanted someone to talk to. Potter always seemed to find it easy enough to confide in a mute."

Ana reached to grab the pad and quill from the floor. She scratched out something very quickly and handed it to Draco.

'_Only you know what's right for you.'_

Draco read, nodded and asked for the quill. After Ana handed it over he wrote a response and passed the pad back.

'_I don't know what's right for me yet…but I want to help you.'_

Draco stowed the pad and quill in his pockets and called on Wormtail after lifting the charm from the door. The rodent like man led Ana back to the basement door, opened it, and pushed her through. After stumbling to the bottom there was a moment of silence before a small light illuminated the space enough for Ana to find her corner of the crawlspace. "I'm glad to see you're no worse for wear visiting the little prince," Griphook sniffed.

Ana motioned to Ollivander who was holding the match. He scooted closer to her and Ana directed his attention to the dirt. She drew her finger through the loose earth. '_Where did the matches come from?'_

Ollivander stalled a moment before saying, "They were here when we got here, and they are always replenished. I can't be certain who…but I suspect it's Malfoy's son."

Ana smiled for the first time in months. Perhaps there was hope for him after all. And if that was true, that meant there could be a glimmer of hope for her.


	7. Chapter 7

The dining room was directly above the crawlspace and Ana was taking full advantage of this yule tide dinner party. She had been standing on the second to last stair and leaning toward the center of their tiny room all evening listening to their dull conversations. But as promised Draco sat himself and Professor Snape as close to where the stairs sat as possible, allowing Ana to hear them. But the subject she had been waiting on was not risen until dessert was nearly finished.

"You really must see the guests we have now professor. They are all of the highest priority, I'm sure. But out most recent is a real gem."

"I wasn't aware you had acquired a third party down there, Mr. Malfoy," Snape responded cooly. How was Ana supposed to read that? No different than usual she supposed; Snape was always a cold individual.

"Oh yes, we have quite the collection now, and the crown jewel just happens to be Miss Fabiana Prewett."

There was a pause. Someone sighed as though they were bored, and there was a heavy goblet set down on the table, very gently. "Is that so?" Snape asked. "How did you come to possess her?"

"Greyback wanted to store her here," Luscious responded in a whiney tone, signaling him as the bored individual. "He wanted to be able to come back for her at some point, however I am rather pleased with her as a prisoner. The creature can't make a peep. Perfect for their little hiding pace down there."

"Indeed, father," Draco was heard to say. Ana was getting excited. He was setting up their gamble. "But it's not satisfying enough to simply know that wench is suffering in the dank crawlspace. No, it is far more satisfying to witness how far she has fallen first hand."

"Don't bother the headmaster son."

"It's no bother," Snape cut off Luscious. "I think I could do with a little pleasure in others' pain. After all being a headmaster allots me little time to take part in those activities that I used to find so…enticing. May I?"

There was no sound from above aside from the shuffling of feet and chair legs scraping on the floorboards. Ana leaps off the stairs and landed as far from the door as she could muster in the short time she had; the dining room was just to one side of the door at the top of the stairs. She tried to calm her facial features and seem like she was miserable, but it was difficult. All the same, she managed to plaster a long face over her elation just as the door opened and light spilled into the crawlspace from the room above.

Snape stepped down to the bottom of the stairs and only looked in Ana's direction for a few second before turning his back and facing the Malfoy men still standing on the steps behind him. "I'm not certain you should be keeping her here without the Dark Lord's permission. She's not your average prisoner of war. The Dark Lord views her as something…special."

Luscious crossed his arms. "Just like her mother I suppose. Must be the reason Greyback held onto her."

"She should be handed over to him."

"She's our prisoner," Luscious countered. "Besides, she could be our family's bartering chip for good favor when the time comes."

Snape shook his head. "She would do much better for your favor if you just turned her over now."

Malfoy's voice dropped as he answered to this. "Look around you. Everything is falling apart. Prewett is valuable. Imagine the amount of money I could demand from Greyback when he comes back for her. And he would pay it. You remember Natalia; we all do. Prewett looks just like her. Tell me Greyback's relationship with Natalia is not an indication of what he would be willing to pay to have the daughter; to gain back something he feels was stolen from him. Greyback knows that won't happen if _he_ gets a hold of her. The Dark Lord will want her for himself."

Snape matched the tone Luscious was speaking in. "Consider the fact that you won't see a single knut if the Dark Lord discovers you've been keeping her here." Snape then turned and shot a rope from the tip of his wand toward Ana. It coiled around her wrists, binding her hands behind her back.

Suddenly Luscious got defensive. He tried to shove past Snape, though to no avail, all the while saying, "You can't just come in here and steal my prisoner!"

"Consider it a favor, Luscious. I'm saving you from what I assure you would be a painful death. As it is the Dark Lord was planning to make surprise visits to all prisoner locations within the next week to inspect the captives we have and ensure nothing has been going on without his knowledge," he motioned to Ana as he walked toward her to help her stand. "For example."

Snape lifted Ana from an elbow and helped her stand. While leading her out and up the stairs, Draco let his hand brush against her arm. The foe, an enemy of her and her friends through the years, had come through for her. He probably saved her life.


	8. Chapter 8

Ron and Hermione had turned in a while ago, leaving Harry alone listening to the continued news report by Fred, George and Remus. It was then that he heard news that was both horrifying and made him more elated than he had been since finding the locket and destroying it. Remus was making the report.

"Finally, before signing out this evening, I have news on the whereabouts of Fabiana Prewett. For those of you who don't know, she was abducted by Death Eaters last year during the incident at Hogwarts. I have it from a new informant inside the wolf pack of Fenrir Greyback, where Fabiana was last known to be that Greyback brought her to another location to be kept until such a time he could collect her. He does not have any information as to where she has been taken or when Greyback intended to collect her, but he also reports that Fabiana has not been seen among the wolves since being handed over to other parties unknown. If anyone has any information on the exact whereabouts of Fabiana Prewett, or has any suspicion that someone you know has information, don't hesitate to contact us here on the WWN. That's all for tonight. Potter Watch is out."

Harry turned off the radio and sighed shakily. She was alive. At least the last anyone saw her she was. But where on earth would the werewolf have taken her for safekeeping? Harry couldn't begin to imagine. But he could imagine giving up this whole thing and searching for Ana instead. Horocruxes weren't going anywhere, but Ana might be on her last rope. She could be dying at that moment. But he knew there was no way he could abandon the search for the last items. Ana wouldn't want him to leave them in favor of trying to find her. She knew just as much as he did how important it was to end this as soon as possible. She would end up blaming herself for all the lives lost because of her, even if she herself lived. And frankly, Harry would probably feel his own guilt along those lines. She wanted him to find the Horcruxes; he knew it. Harry just hoped he would come across Ana in the process.

Like every other time he thought about her since he last saw her, Harry's heart ached. He blamed himself for sticking close to all the others when the Death Eaters came into the school. He blamed himself for going after Snape instead of making sure everyone was okay as the intruders retreated. Hell, if he hadn't had all eyes on Snape maybe he would have noticed that one of those Voldemort loving snakes had Ana in their grasps. He hadn't noticed...hadn't done a thing for her. And now she might die because of it.

No, Harry told himself. I can't blame myself. What's done is done and I can't keep beating myself up for it. If I can just find her alive, that will be all the atonement I need. Harry made his way to his bed and lay himself down. As he snuffed the lantern by his mattress, Harry tried to shove his final thought of the night from his mind: if I don't find her alive it won't matter what I accomplish in all this...I'll never forgive myself.


	9. Chapter 9

"Finally, before signing out this evening, I have news on the whereabouts of Fabiana Prewett. For those of you who don't know, she was abducted by Death Eaters last year during the incident at Hogwarts. I have it from a new informant inside the wolf pack of Fenrir Greyback, where Fabiana was last known to be that Greyback brought her to another location to be kept until such a time he could collect her. He does not have any information as to where she has been taken or when Greyback intended to collect her, but he also reports that Fabiana has not been seen among the wolves since being handed over to other parties unknown. If anyone has any information on the exact whereabouts of Fabiana Prewett, or has any suspicion that someone you know has information, don't hesitate to contact us here on the WWN. That's all for tonight. Potter Watch is out."

The world was still looking for her. They all believed she was alive. That was a good sign. Perhaps someone would come across her before it was too late. Snape was being more than gracious, but she understood he still had a face to keep. Letting her go was out of the question. Although, Ana had to admit, this was a much more comfortable way to be captured. Snape had taken her to the room of requirement, where upon opening, she had found a squashy queen bed with fresh linens and all the luxuries of a hotel, however it was of a darker palette; an eclectic collection of Turkish rugs and heavy drapes and chairs upholstered in hues of burgundy, forest green and navy blue.

The one thing that didn't please her was the continued use of chains. The Malfoy manor had been terrible, but they never chained her to the wall. Snape had explained that it was necessary. The first night she had spent back in the castle there was a long several hours of explanation. Not about Snape's action the previous year, obviously. Outside Dumbledore and Snape himself, Ana was the only person who knew the plan. No, the explanation of actions came from what would happen next:

"_I wish I could just let you go, but that can't happen. The Malfoy's will put up a fuss over my taking you out of there, and Voldemort will want to inspect you. I know you never learned Occlumency, but do your best to keep him from infiltrating your mind. Although I doubt it's your mind he is truly interested in." He waved Ana over to where the bed was and presented the chain. "I hate having to do this, but he will ask questions. I can explain the comfortable surroundings in a way that will flatter him but there is nothing I can do about the captivity."_

_Ana sat heavily and moved her rapidly growing hair, causing a sad smile in Snape as he raised his free hand and pulled her hand away from her tresses. "Not the neck. The ankle will suffice." He knelt before her and began to fasten it. "There's enough room to reach the bathroom and the book shelves to your heart's content."_

_Something in his face had been disgusted when she had offered her nape so freely to the confinement of a chain. So much so that the shadow of the look remained in small traces across his face. Ana had tapped his shoulder then, aware that Snape had been making a study of sign language so as to communicate with her last year during the school terms. 'What did you mean when you said he won't be interested in my mind?'_

_Snape did not answer. But he did look away and there was a slight rise of color in his cheeks. After a few moments, he turned his bashful expression back to her. "Your mother was a good woman, Fabiana. A remarkable person with good morals. But before she was anything like that, she was just like Bellatrix. She followed Voldemort freely, killed for him without hesitation. It was your father who turned her around. He spared her life and in return she turned spy for the aurors, for us. But when she became pregnant with you, she quit. Unfortunately, during her time as an Eater she attracted quite a bit of male attention. Greyback was one, which is why he kidnapped you. The other, regretfully, was Voldemort himself. _

"_Nothing could have been done about checking into St. Mungos when you were born. You were early and needed the attention of healers. Originally your were to be born at home and you and your mother would be in hiding until the war ended. Someone in the hospital, a spy, passed the information along and Voldemort, as punishment for going behind his back with Greyback, for leaving his side, and for becoming an active force against him and spying on him, offering personal information, stole her from her room after your birth. We though he killed her. No one knew she had been quietly captured by the authorities for her crimes against wizard-folk; your father never revealed her identity to anyone. Though it wouldn't have mattered if he had. In fact she had been confounded before Voldemort let her go so she didn't know her name either. The connection was never made, not until you went digging a few years back."_

Ana remembered that night well. Snape had paused, as though he was loathe to tell the rest of the story, connect it to her question. But Ana had been in that position before. Now that she had heard the whole story she understood. Greyback wanted her because it was like having her mother back. Likely Voldemort would desire the same. Fortunately, every time Voldemort spoke with Snape it seemed he was pleased to know Ana was there, and looked after properly, but was too busy conquering the world to come and claim his new prize. For the moment, his main focus was an even bigger fish: Harry. However Snape did mention that if his frustration grew any more from not being able to find him, Voldemort might make a visit just to let off steam…on her.

It was a no win situation. Either Harry would be found, killed, and Voldemort would decide to celebrate, or the frustration on not finding Harry would mount and he would eventually decide to release strain. Either way, it was very likely Voldemort would be making a visit to the room of requirement in the near future, if Snape's warning could be trusted, as she suspected it could be. Yes, it would happen. Unless Harry could not only remain hidden, but finish what they started, and soon.

Ana shivered and she reached to turn off the radio. The thought of him touching her body made her skin crawl. But as she had before, and would have to again, Ana refused to even think about it. Instead she let her mind wander through memories and time, pausing on those scenes in which she was free, happy, and loved. She recalled as she fell asleep that night going after Harry more than a year before and finding him in his rooms, half undressed, and kissing him without fear. Would she ever feel that again? After nine months not seeing him, talking with him, laughing with him…touching him-

Her thoughts were interrupted by a violent shiver. Her clothes, which had been replaced with fresh muggle ones upon arrival at Hogwarts, were already loose on her. What had fit upon her arrival three months ago were now hanging. Ana was always cold, always tired, and always hungry. Snape always apologized for the terrible rations but it seemed food was hard to come by for everyone nowadays, even Voldemort's own organizations. The shivers subsided, for the time being. She hugged her bony body and closed her tired eyes. Huh, she thought. Perhaps the question was not could she ever feel all those wonderful things again, but would she? These days, Ana was beginning to feel as though her time was running out.


	10. Chapter 10

Ana woke up to voices. At first there was only one, but then there were more. Who could possibly be talking? The clock on the wall read two in the morning. Ana focused and listened more. There was nothing distinct she could make out, really. Not until she heard something very faint, but more than clear enough to send her sprinting out of bed: "Dumbledore's Army!"

They were in another dimension of the room of requirement, in the old meeting room. But how to get there… Ana had no time to waste. But there was an inescapable obstacle. The chain on her ankle. Ana sighed and stared at the heavy iron links. Snape had told her the chains weren't jinxed. She remembered reading something about another mute witch sometime in the seventeenth century who mastered the art of not only speechless magic, but also discovered the possibility of _wandless _magic. Although it had never been achieved, the witch, whose name now escaped Ana, had nearly succeeded. Perhaps having been mute her whole life would finally hold an advantage…

She grasped the chain in her hands and stood up beside her bed. After letting out a loaded sigh, Ana closed her eyes and formed a strong word in her head: _portus._ In the back of her mind she was picturing mirrors, old and cracked. Discolored. Stone pillars and lots of books on defensive spells. She was remembering the room…

After a moment the cold metal in her hands flashed with a feeling of warmth. That was it! There was hardly time for a breath before she felt an uncomfortable pulling sensation behind her naval and the room was spinning. Before she knew it she was collapsed on the floor. When Ana opened her eyes there were students standing all around her, very few whom she recognized, and one was shoving his way through.

"What the bloody hell was that?"

A face came into her line of vision. It was Neville Longbottom, of all people. Relieved, Ana allowed a smile to come across her face, noting the slight tremor from the lack of using those muscles for months on end. Finally, something good was going to happen.

Somehow Ana fell asleep and when she was woken again, Neville was the only one there. When he noticed she was awake he gave her a tired smile. "I sent everyone off. We've got to get you out of here. Do you have any idea who's running this school?"

He handed her a pencil and a parchment. Ana took it and wrote in shaking scrawl, 'Yes. It's okay. Snape did what Dumbledore told him. He brought me from the Malfoy mansion. Been trying to figure out how to get me out without Voldemort knowing. I couldn't wait anymore. I heard you. Made chain a

port key.'

Neville read the note and nodded. He scooted back from her a bit and aimed his wand at the chain at her ankle. "Cover your face."

Ana did that and there was a loud bang. There was some dust settling when she looked again, and her ankle was free.

"Someone might have heard that. We should get you out of here."

Ana furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head in confusion. Where would they possibly be going? Neville stood and offered his hands, which Ana took. "When I started hosting meetings for the army I started out by imagining the old room, but with an escape route into Hogsmeade. Actually there are two, but let's take this one. It's smaller and more secure."

Ana didn't have any time to try and relate her confusion. Neville had grabbed her hand and they were racing toward a tapestry in the back of the room. When they reached it he pulled it aside and there was a long dark hall behind it, which they started barreling down. After running for nearly ten minutes, Ana was about to keel over and collapse when they suddenly stopped. It was pitch black and there was no way to know how small a space they were even in. But judging from the closeness of the air it wasn't very much room around them at all.

Neville was scratching at something above them. Is sounded solid, even though at some point the passageway had noted the ground soften and the air take on a scent of earth. There was a knocking sound. Three raps followed by a pause and another three raps in quick succession. After waiting a moment there was a creaking and the space was filled with light. A hand reached down from above where the light originated from and Neville pushed Ana forward. She reached her hand up and grasped the one that was dangling there like the hand of an angel. Once she was holding tight, Ana was pulled up into a room with many chairs and tables, all coated with a thick layer of dust and grime. She looked back down at the hole where she saw Neville's face half lit and half in shadow. He said quickly, "Take care of her, sir. She's been through a lot."

The man let the trap door down with a thud and kicked the corner of a worn carpet over where the opening had been. And Neville was gone. Now Ana looked up to the tall man who had lifted her into this dark room lit by only a few lanterns. And when she did she gasped. She didn't need to know who Neville had handed her off to. The likeness was so striking there was no doubt in her mind.


	11. Chapter 11

Aberforth Dumbledore stayed on the opposite side of the panel hiding the tub while Ana took a bath. The flat above the Hog's Head was very small. One room with a toilet and sink, separated by a fold out panel, bed with a nightstand and a closet. There wasn't much inside, but it was better than living in captivity. Afterward, Aberforth found some old oversized muggle shirt for her to wear. Once she was clean and comfortable, Aberforth began signing to her over her soup and bread. Ana was so surprise she hadn't even registered what he said.

"It's all right. My sister was…well, we had to use WSL with her so I'm familiar enough to hold a conversation. My brother told me about you. About a year ago I guess. Right before he died. Seemed to think you were something important for someone to know about. Maybe he thought you would get yourself in trouble, hm?"

Ana couldn't help but stare. They were so alike. They looked the same, talked the same. Aberforth may have been a little stockier and slightly unkempt by comparison, but it was like talking with the headmaster again. Once she got over her daze, Ana laid her spoon down in the half full bowl and responded. 'I'm not sure. He seemed to think Harry would get in trouble. He told me things Harry wasn't supposed to know. Apparently he did the same to you.'

"It sounds like you were supposed to stick together. What happened?"

Ana tried to consider her answer carefully. She recalled every wrong that had been done to her, every abuse she had endured. Every little tear within her heart that could only be mended by coming face to face with him again…

He had asked her what happened. Her fingers slowly traced a symbol in the air, warmed by the small fireplace, and would not meet Aberforth's crystal blue eye. 'Everything.'


	12. Chapter 12

"Fabiana, come downstairs." Aberforth had stuck his head inside the one room flat some time after the pub had been empty. Ana nodded and laid down the well-worn book she had been reading. She followed Aberforth downstairs where he led her to the mantle in the barroom where there was a picture of his little sister, Ariana. The girl's painting was animated, and Ana knew that it was the way into one of the old passageways that had been sealed off. Aberforth merely dragged a chair over for Ana to step up on and said, "Go on through. The Carrows are around tonight and I think you'll be safer in the room over there for now."

Fabiana gave him an odd look. She had never been moved because the Carrows were around. But then, there had been a few close calls lately when they had made some late night visits during patrols. Perhaps this was simply a new way of ensuring Ana was safe? Aberforth was never one much for explaining his thought process. Either way, Ana heaved herself up onto the mantle and crawled inside the hole behind the opening painting.

She walked for several minutes and at the other end, Ana knocked three times. A second door swung open and she was inside the Room of Requirement. The only other person there was Neville. She was happy to see him, but he didn't stay long.

"Great to see you. But Aberforth sent a patronus this way a while back asking me to rush on over as soon as someone arrived to cover the room. Would you mind?"

Ana shook her head and shrugged. Before she had a chance to sit Neville was gone, and Ana was all alone.

There wasn't much around the room for entertainment. The Ravenclaw section had plenty of books, but mostly they were texts meant for study; not something that was suitable for pleasure reading. Everything was silent around her and Ana was contenting herself with examining the pattern of the cross beams in the ceiling.

After what felt like the longest time, people began showing up. Seamus with his swollen face was there, as well as Lavender, the Patil twins, Terry, Ernie, Anthony and Michael, all former D.A. members. Despite the swell of relief she felt to see other people aside from Aberfoth, she was greatly pained. The last time she had been in here, there had been the most precious moment, as they practiced patronuses. She was sure no one had noticed, but Harry's stag and her gazelle met in the middle of the room and nuzzled one another until they dissipated together.

Someone called attention to a noise behind the corridor. Ana didn't even lift her head from the palm of her hand. She was too caught up with her own thoughts to care who was coming in now. Probably just Neville coming down the tunnel back from the pub.

From the front to the back, there were screams and yells of a joyous tone. It took a moment for Ana to discern what they were saying. When she did, her eyes widened and she froze. _It's Potter._

She shot out of her seat and pushed her way through the people ahead of her. Once she had, Fabiana stopped dead. It was true. Harry's hair was longer than normal, his glasses were filthy and his skin had spots of dirt. But regardless of how he looked, it was him. She praised her lucky stars…he was alive.

Ana couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. There was an overwhelming feeling of relief washing over her and so the tears came. There was dead silence. When Ana could manage to raise her face again, the people in the room had backed away from her and she and Harry were standing in the clearing, some ten feet from one another.

"Come on everyone, give them a moment all right?" Neville was shooing everyone back farther and pulled a gold cord as he passed by. Red, blue and gold curtains fell and closed Ana and Harry off from everyone else. Hermione smiled a little and grabbed Ron by his tee shirt. "We'll be right out here, Harry."

Just like that they were alone. Ana didn't know if she should wait for him to make a move or if she should. She was so overwhelmed all she could was put her face back in her hands and begin to sob.

Suddenly there were arms around her, holding her strong and tight. It made her sob harder than ever. She could feel Harry rest his chin on her head and they sank to the floor together. After several moments Harry pulled away and looked her up and down. His eyes were filled with tears of joy like Ana's, but he looked pained. "Look at you." He touched her face and arms, wherever he could see a scar. He grasped her hands and bit his bottom lip before adding, "You're wasted to nothing."

Ana noted his own condition was not much better and took one of her hands back to sign as much. With his free hand Harry cupped Ana's cheek and brushed tears away with his thumb before pulling her in and pressing his lips to hers, insistently and passionately. It was only one kiss, but it was like heaven to her.

"Harry," Hermione said quietly, poking her head in. "I know you want some time, but time isn't exactly on our side."

Harry nodded and half smiled. "She's right. We've got some work to do."


	13. Chapter 13

"Luna will take Harry won't you Luna?"

"Ooh, yes I would like to."

When they were gone Ana signed her thanks to her cousin, who smiled. Ginny knew damn well sending Cho with Harry was not in Harry's best interest. Nor would it make Ana feel any better. To that end she was not likely to let Harry out of her sight again for a long time, so she took off after him and Luna. When caught up Harry stopped for a moment and took her hand. "No. stay back there. You're in no condition for an adventure right now."

'You're not going anywhere without me.'

"Harry," Luna cautioned, "It's nighttime. According to Neville it's not as safe as it used to be. We should keep moving."

Unable to argue, Harry grabbed onto Ana with his arm around her and ushered her ahead of him. Together the three strode silently through the corridors is search of the statue that depicted Rowena Ravenclaw wearing her diadem.

Ana couldn't know what Harry was thinking , but her guess was he was contemplating their times sneaking about the school over the years. And not just when it was a necessary act to solve some problem. There were other times too. Like the time they had snuck out to the grounds towards the end of the fifth year and went swimming in the lake. That hadn't been the plan; the intent was merely a walk. Harry had suggested they jump in. They stripped to their underwear and frolicked about in the inky black water, lit only by the moon. The memory made her smile.

Thinking of their private moments made Ana recall a time the previous year, toward the end, when they made their way to the room of requirement without the D.A. in tow since its dismemberment. They were alone and simply enjoying some time inside. Harry was trying to occupy the room during a time when Malfoy would need it, hoping that he would notice someone trying to come in and thereby catch Malfoy (what they would do with him upon catching him, Ana had no idea, nor did she suspect did Harry), but soon enough he and Ana had made themselves comfortable on the large squashy couch that the room had provided and ended up snuggling together, trading sweet words and kisses. They fell asleep and awoke early the next morning to a room provided alarm clock, having just enough time before classes. Thanks to Ana's quick wand work their school clothes from the day before appeared neatly pressed and clean, their hair neatly redone to hide the bed head, and their books were summoned to them. Harry made the excuse that they were checking to room when Hermione asked and the day's lessons were passed with short glances and warm smiles to one another.

Before long Harry, Ana, and Luna were standing before a large statue. Ravenclaw stood before them with a cold gaze on her face. Upon he head was a tiara fir for a princess. Though Ana had no idea why a teacher would have one, she now had a rather good idea of where they could possibly find such a thing. The problem was asking the Room of Requirement for the correct kind of room.

There was a call from behind them in the corridor. The trio turned to find the Carrows, crowing out the arrival of the Chosen One.


	14. Chapter 14

Snape's body lay on the floor of the Shrieking Shack, blood spilled out under him from where he had been bitten. It wasn't supposed to end this way. Snape was supposed to be here, to help Harry once he found out what he was, not leave her to help him on her own. Harry didn't know about himself yet, but he would know soon enough. Regardless of the importance that they make themselves scarce, Harry and Fabiana were glued beside Snape, letting their pant-knees soak with his blood. Hermione urged them on for a long time before Harry stood. Ana could not.

"Come on, she's right. We have to get out of here. And I need to find out what it is he's left me."

The whole way back up the secret passage, Ana was thinking. Harry wanted to open that vial and witness Snape's legacy to him. But should he? Voldemort had given them a time limit on his ultimatum. Did they have time for an emotional breakdown? Ana thought not. She also thought that it wasn't necessarily in Harry's best interest to know. For the first time, she was disagreeing with Dumbledore's plan of action where this boy was concerned. Well, boy, she said to herself. Really he's a man now…

This whole thing was precarious, dangerous. Horcrux or not, Harry meeting in the forest with Voldemort and his remaining cronies would be disastrous. He would be killed. According to Dumbledore, Harry should come out living, (should being the operative term. Dumbeledore described the whole thing in such a way as to make Ana think there was a significant chance he may not survive, despite the spare soul inside him) but then what? He would be alone. And Voldemort was not stupid, he could easily guess the reason the curse would not work. And he would cast it again. He would recast even if he did not immediately know the reason it hadn't worked, if only out of rage. After losing that small portion of Voldemort's soul, Harry would only have his own life to lose. And lose it he would if he kept his appointment with the Dark Lord. She suspected it didn't matter if Harry knew the truth now or not. This meeting was going to happen, and he would live despite his knowledge or lack thereof.

Ana barely registered they had reentered the castle. Barely noticed the direction they were heading. Before long everyone was standing before Dumbledore's office, the four of them. Harry turned to Hermione, Ron and Ana and gave a wan smile before entering the office. The remaining three tried to follow, but he stopped them. "No. This is something I have to do on my own. Go and help the others in the Great Hall. I'll find you. I promise."

Ron and Hermione did as they were told, but Ana certainly was not going to. She lurched forward and grasped his sleeve. 'I'm coming in.'

"No you're not. Go on. They need you more than I do."

'You do. Dumbledore asked me to help you when this moment came.'

Harry was confused, but seeing that Ron and Hermione were well out of sight by now and not trusting the halls and corridors to be safe, despite Voldemort's word, he ushered Ana inside ahead of him before quietly closing the door.


	15. Chapter 15

Harry was silent. Not surprising. Before long he joined Ana on the steps leading to the headmaster's desk and sat heavily beside her. A few more seconds ticked away before he asked the question Ana knew was coming. "Did you know."

He was expecting an answer. The query was spoken as a demand. He turned his head just enough to see her response. All Ana could do was nod her head.

"Why didn't you tell me? You must have been told around the time Dumbledore was teaching me about Voldemort's past."

'He asked me not to say anything until this moment.'

Harry dropped his head dramatically between his knees and spoke lowly. "And now the moment is here, what did he ask you to say?"

Ana raised Harry's chin and turned his head to level with her eyes. She released him and signed slowly and deliberately. Maybe she was trying to stall for time. For all she knew it might be the last time she saw him alive. The clock was nearing the hour.

'He said you can beat him. He said you would face your past trial once more. And if you make the choice to continue living, you can bring him down.'

"Make the choice? What did he mean by that?"

Ana shrugged. 'He was very vague about the details. I suspect only you will find out what he meant. The point is you have a spare portion of soul inside you. That's how you survived the last killing curse, and that's how you can survive it again. One more time.' She touched her hand to his cheek and locked on his eyes. Ana held a single finger up to him. One.

Harry grasped at Ana's hand and kissed it chastely before hopping to his feet and heading for the door. Ana followed and grabbed his shirt roughly. Was he insane? Harry turned back to her. "I have all the information I could possibly have asked for. It's almost time. I can't be late or you're all in danger."

He tried to twist away from her, but Ana merely threw another hand out for a fistful of shirt. Harry took both her hands in his own and drew her close. "Ana, I have to go. Too many have died already. I have the chance to stop this and wither I come out alive or not I have to take it."

Ana let go with one hand. 'And if you don't do you think Voldemort will just stop?'

"No, but I'll figure it out." He placed his hands on her face, on either cheek. "I'm the chosen one, remember?" It was a poor joke and only serviced to well Ana's eyes with tears. Harry delved his lips into Ana's. The taste was bittersweet. He kissed her with such passion Ana had never felt from him before. He was kissing her for the last time.

As quickly as he had come into her he was gone, rushing away from her and out the door.

Ana watched the door close before moving herself. He would kill her for this later, if he lived to find out, but Ana wasn't letting him go on this suicide mission alone. She sprinted out the door after Harry and took an alternate route out of the castle toward the Forbidden Forest. With any luck she could beat him there and assonate Voldemort before Harry had the chance to get himself killed. They were supposed to end this together, Dumbledore had said so himself. Who was she to prove the wisest wizard who ever lived wrong?


	16. Chapter 16

Her heart hurt. It was tearing out of her chest. She knew he would return, stand and fight again, but watching him fall at the hands of Voldemort where he had persevered so many times before was painful. Ana wasn't aware of how long she crouched behind the bush doubled over silently sobbing, but when she calmed herself and straightened enough to view the scene before her, she was beyond tears and moved straight to panic.

He wasn't getting up. Ana tried to force the panic down from the top of her throat. It didn't work too well. Voldemort was back up, and gloating profusely. He commanded Narcissa Malfoy to check the body. She did and announced loudly that Harry Potter was dead.

A few more seconds, just a few more and Harry would stand again, alive and ready. Ana had gotten lost and was too late to beat Harry to the clearing, but she would join him if he pulled through. They would either triumph together or die trying. If only he would get up…

Voldemort started making plans. Harry would be carried back to the castle and shown to the grief of everyone. He was going to break their spirits with the death of the one who was meant to save them all. More time passed. Harry still lay motionless where he fell.

Her tears broke through afresh and her skin grew wet again. A spike was being driven through her heart every second Harry wasn't moving. Was it over? Truly over? Had Dumbledore been wrong? She recalled once when Dumbledore had told Harry that being a brilliant man his mistakes were often more disastrous than the average, or something to the effect. Had this been one of those mistakes?

The hive of Death Eaters was moving. Ana recognized she had to leave. They would be coming her way soon and she had to return to the castle. If there was nothing more she could do here, she had to find Ron, Hermione…everyone; and rally them. Perhaps the chosen one was cut down, but they weren't all likely to perish. She hoped.


	17. Chapter 17

It was chaos. Nagini was dead; Neville had killed her. That was the last was it not? The journal: destroyed years ago, the cup: Ron took care of it, the diadem: lost in the Fiendfire. The locket was destroyed months ago according to Hermione, the ring had been done in quite some time before and Nagini was the last. The last one Voldemort had consciously created. Harry was really the last, but he was already gone. Voldemort was a single soul now. He could be killed.

Death Eaters and defenders were at one another's throats. Voldemort's plan to crush everyone's spirits had backfired. On the contrary, it had inspired a fresh surge of fighting. Hagrid had apparently met the band of Death Eaters and had been made to carry the corpse but in all the confusion, Ana had lost sight of everything, even Harry.

And now, here they were: Fabiana Prewett and the Dark Lord, standing a few mere yards from one another. He stopped and simply looked at her. The halting of Voldemort had stopped his followers, which stopped the defenders and before long everyone had eyes on the two of them. She slowly turned and faced the man who would most likely end her life in only a few short moments, wand at the ready.

He laughed, coldly and fully. "My dear, dear girl," he said. "I have no intention of killing you."

Ana cast an untrusting look his way and raised her wand some. Voldemort raised his chin and smiled, showing his sharpened teeth. "Ah yes, now I remember." He reached beneath his robes and pulled out a glass vial on a chord about the Dark Lord's neck. Inside the vial was a silver swirling light. "Know what this is? Of course, not, you were an infant when I ordered your home under siege and asked dear Lucius to bring me this. It's your voice." Voldemort shifted his gaze to the vial as Ana's mouth hung open in shock. "Yes. I listen to it sometimes when I'm lonely. It's has grown with you, you see. And by now…you sound so very much like your mother. When the average whore won't satisfy, just hearing your voice in my ear brings about a certain…peace." Voldemort looked at the vial now and sighed. "Alas, the calm never lasts. If I just let this sample of sound run free you see, it will find a host for a time before disappearing altogether. I can only listen to a tiny thread escaping from a lightly loosened cork…"

He looked back to Ana now, who was barely controlling the revolted look on her face as her spine shivered from the bottom up and back again, repeatedly. "You look so like her you know. In fact, the likeness is so uncanny, I think I would like to hear you plead for your life. It will soothe me to remind me of when your mother did the same. Who knows, maybe I'll even spare you in the same way I spared her."

Voldemort unstopped the vial and the silver light drifted up and out, hanging in a cloud before the Dark Lord's face. He blew gently and the mystical stuff floated through the air and collected at Ana's throat. It pulsed with a blinding light before dissipating and cooling her vocal chords, before this small tickle in her throat and the sense that she could open her mouth and somehow expel sound overtook her; something Ana thought she would never feel her whole life through.

"Come now," Voldemort cooed at her. "Sing for me."

It was there, something in the base of her throat. Ana didn't know how she knew how to expel this newfound power within her, but it came all the same. "You…you never spared her. You made sure she would get chucked in prison where she suffered and died addled and alone." Voldemort smiled again. It was all coming out now. The floodgates had opened and now there was no stopping the constant stream of accusations, facts really, from pouring out of her. And that was what he wanted before ending her, Ana was certain.

"You killed my father, my uncle, effectively my mother, probably my grandparents, and now my cousin! You and your cronies! You've murdered the only person who ever truly understood me! Every misfortune in my life has been because of you! I kill you where you stand!"

"Go ahead," Voldemort sighed before swooping toward her on a cloud of ashen smoke. Ana set her jaw and stood her ground. Voldemort laid her hand on hers which held her wand and lifted it until the tip rested on his jugular. "Prove to me you're strong enough. I may even find a place for you in my new world order. I have missed your mother so during this second life of mine. It's just not the same without her. But it could be, if I had you. Then again your mother was a wretched traitor. I can't risk it."

His hand still on hers, Voldemort forced her wrist to twist in such a manner so that Ana's wand was now pointed squarely at her own heart. A flash of green went off…


	18. Chapter 18

The silence cut Harry's heart to the core. There should be tumultuous celebration. Voldemort was gone. For good this time. Instead the whole hall was silent. Almost as thought someone very special had just passed.

Though that was because someone had. Harry found the courage within himself to then around and lay his eyes on her. There on the flagstones where she had been killed and unceremoniously dropped by the Dark Lord lay Ana. She hadn't known Harry was actually alive. If she had, if he had made himself known sooner, maybe she wouldn't have challenged him. Under her perceived circumstance (he shuddered to think) she probably was hoping he would kill her. counting on it even.

As he stepped closer Harry could hardly fail to notice her beauty, even in death. Her skin was pale and clean, like ice, luminous and striking against her deep mahogany hair, which splayed in gentle curls about her head like a halo, gleaming with golden streaks caused by the sun of breaking dawn. She had not died in strife. Her face was peaceful, not a single hint of pain or despair.

Not for the first time in his life, Harry asked himself if he had done this. If he had, by becoming close to her, caused her death in the end. If she hadn't known him, hadn't even met him, she might be alive. And he could see her response in his mind now: if she had never loved him, life would not have been worth living. He understood. He felt the same.

He stood over her now, waiting for a glimmer of hope he knew would never come. A shaky hadn rested on his shoulder. Harry tuned and it was Hermione with Ron beside her. He looked as though he'd been killed himself, pale as a sheet. Harry looked back down at her. "I always tried to push her away, even when all I wanted to do was be near her. I thought I was keeping her safe. Maybe if I had let her get near me…help me, like I let you two do…maybe…But she was different. I know you'd like to hear that losing any of the three of your would devastate me, and it would, but-"

"It's not the same as losing the love of your life," Hermione finished for him quietly, before she removed her hand to stifle a sob. She walked away and Ron followed. Harry however, could not move. He felt obligated to stay where he was. So instead he knelt beside her, wand dropping from his hand so he could reach for her, lift her into his lap and cradle her head to his chest, drinking in the feeling of being close to her one last time.

"Harry?" He looked up. It was Mrs. Weasley this time.

"She's gone," Harry choked dryly. The wave of tears was beginning it's leak from his eyes. Holding the still warm remains of the woman he loved had solidified the fact in his mind that she truly was gone.

"Harry, dear, come away." She was reaching out for him but Harry merely bent his head, sitting forehead to forehead with the corpse he held.

"Don't. Please don't touch me. Just leave me alone."

Hermione was sobbing audibly now in the near distance, but Ron had returned and crouched beside Harry now. "The school's empty. Plenty of space. Maybe you should head for the old tower mate. No one to watch you there. You can...say goodbye."

Harry tried to manage a brave, thankful grin. He could not. "Thanks Ron." The words came out cracked and barely recognizable, at least to Harry's own ear. He slipped one arm beneath Ana's back and another under her knees and lifted her high in his arms as he stood. Every eye in the room watched as Harry carried a limp, lifeless Fabiana Prewett through the crowd, parting and making way as he went. Ron was right, Gryffindor tower would be a good place to have his final moments with her. so after exiting the hall, Harry started the familiar climb along the stairs and passages; one he and Ana had taken so many times before.

After some time, Harry entered the old common room. It was barren, and a mess from the hasty flight. Climbing the stairs he found his old room to be in a similar state of disarray and squalor, however by some chance, his own old bed was quite neat. In fact it was as he last remembered leaving it over a year before. (Harry would later learn from Neville that the students of the house had opted to keep it as it was, and no one took it over, as some kind of tribute to the Chosen One.)

He laid her on the plush down comforter and was instantly reminded of that night in year five when Ron had interrupted some very tender moments on the very same bed after a long night of studying. Harry pulled a chair up close to the bed and arranged Ana's hands and legs in a dignified fashion before sitting himself heavily down.

And now for the words. What was there to say? There was a great deal he had never said, things that had always been understood but never uttered. These were the final moments. But were those things suitable as final thoughts? After a moment, Harry opened his mouth and carefully spoke, deliberately and carefully for fear of ruining their last moments on this earth together.

"I'm so sorry, Ana. The last year…I can't begin to imagine what you have been through. But I can only think that you were treated worse than I can imagine. My fear to keep you too close caused me to lose you that night in this school. I thought you were gone forever, out there somewhere and I would never find you, not before the worst happened. I got another chance tonight. A chance to make it all right and let you make this stand with me. Let you help me. And if didn't. I tried to keep you safe in a way that had never worked before, and it got me killed. That and my cowardice. If I had been brave enough to just step forward during the fighting, during that horrid speech he made…he would never have had the chance to make you…do that. I only hope that, in whatever plain of being you find yourself in now, you find someone to accompany who is more worthy of you than I am."

Harry bowed his head. "I loved you. From the moment we met, I knew there was something about you that would change me. You made me who I am. I wouldn't be half the man I turned out to be without you in my life, and though I tried to hide it and did wrong by you, I hope you at least knew on this night how deeply, passionately, in love with you I am."

He was silent now. There was nothing more for him to say. Well, actually there was, but it seemed inappropriate. The most important pieces were there. He was about to open his mouth to say a final goodbye, when…

"H-Harry?"

Harry's head snapped up and instantly he noticed a slight rise and fall in Ana's chest and her lips were parted where they hadn't been before. But her eyes were closed. And the small voice had been a wisp of a thing. Had he imagined it? Cautiously Harry spoke, calmly, clearly, "Ana?"

Her lips smiled a little. "How do I sound?"

Fresh tears fell down's Harry's cheeks as he grasped for her hand and kissed it hard, trying to imprint everything he was feeling into her skin, before answering. "Beautiful."


	19. Chapter 19

It took some time before Harry was able to move himself out of the castle. Hogwarts provided a safe place for both he and Ana to stay until Grimmauld place was clean, at long last. While Hermione and Ron saw to that, and Minerva and Harry saw to setting the school back to rights, Ana rested and recuperated quite well under the watchful eye of the headmaster painting of Dumbledore temporarily moved into Harry's old room. The painting Albus, Ana and Harry debated for long hours on why Voldemort's attack on Ana had not killed her. Dumbledore was finally able to surmise two reasons, either of which could have saved Ana's life, though more likely both had a hand. The first was the idea that Voldemort appeared to have tried to not only use Ana's wand against her, but also to imperious her by touching her hand alone and making her kill herself. Historically those who tried to kill themselves that way rarely succeeded, the number of the opposite effect of successful suicide numbering only in the tens over hundreds of years. And that was with people who wanted to die.

The second cause, and more likely to be the actual perpetrator, was that Ana was, in fact, very much like her mother. And Voldemort was, in definite fact, in love with Natalia Weasley for some time before and after she left him. As Bellatrix had told Harry once, you have to mean an unforgivable curse. Otherwise they do very little harm indeed. with the likeness of the only woman Voldemort had ever loved, or was capable of loving, before him, it was unlikely the things he said by way of claiming to loathe Natalia probably were as far from the truth as you could get. Therefore, he could no easier kill Ana than he could have killed Natalia. Likely that was why he made sure Natalia had been imprisoned years before: killing her simply would not have worked.

As for Ana's voice, it was as short lived as Voldemort had described. By the morning following the battle it was gone again and she and Harry were back to their publically private conversations. Harry had the feeling Ana liked that better anyway. After a week of recouping and much restoration both the school and Number 12 were ready to reopen their doors as properly looked after buildings, though Minerva made certain Harry knew he was welcome for tea and biscuits in her new office anytime. Harry and Ana returned to Grimmault place, thinking they would be living with Ron and Hermione for awhile, but it turned out they found the solace of the Burrow more comfortable. Ron had been gone a long time and Hermione had nowhere to go to. And anyway, Molly would want all her children close following the loss of Fred.

So there they were, Harry and Ana alone in the big house. When they arrived the drawing room, three bedrooms, kitchen, library and all the bathrooms had been cleaned, even renovated some and Kreacher had returned, setting to work removing the old pictures from the walls along with a few straggling house elf heads. Judging from the pungent fumes of Doxycide, it appeared Molly had helped Ron and Hermione in their quest to finish the house.

But it wouldn't always be a lonely space. While Tonk's parents had taken on caring for Teddy the rascal was bound to be visiting often, and then with Kreacher being more pleasant than their previous stays coexisting with him, there was always someone around to chat with. They let him have the bedroom at the top of the stairs, Sirius' mum's old room. It made him happy enough, and without seeing as many people come and go, Mrs. Black had very little to shriek about these days (that painting would not be possible to dismantle until someone created a charm to undo whatever she did. Maybe someday, Harry mused.)

With the battle behind them and the world adjusting back to its previous existence before the return of the most dangerous wizard that ever walked the earth, that left Harry and Ana with some choices to make. Neither had finished school, but Kingsley was quick to offer them places in the auror's office, citing the desperate need for some new, trustworthy, people. Ana was concerned about her lack of voice, but Kingsley reassured her that aurors typically worked in pairs and as long as Harry and Ana worked as a duo there would be no problem.

They agreed to the arrangements, particularly when Bill had stuck his neck out for Ana a couple years before based on her O.W.L. scores, but requested they take some time first. Ana thought they would spend a week or two relaxing at home. Harry had a different idea. He presented Ana with a picture of an ocean side cottage on the coast somewhere that night at dinner. 'It's lovely' Ana signed, 'but what's so special about that place?'

"It just seems perfect."

'For what?'

"To start over. To break away from the old for awhile and just start things new."

Ana could hardly argue with that.


End file.
